1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a surface emitting semiconductor laser, an optical semiconductor device, an optical transmission apparatus, an optical spatial transmission device, an optical transmission system, an optical spatial transmission system, and a method for fabricating a surface emitting semiconductor laser.
2. Related Art
A vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) has a vertical resonator that is formed on a substrate and includes an active region. The vertical resonator amplifies laser emitted in a direction vertical to the substrate.
A VCSEL of a typical type has a current confining function for efficiently injecting current in the active region and a light confining function for efficiently confining light generated in the active region. A VCSEL of selective oxidation type having a mesa structure has a conductive region (oxidized aperture) surrounded by an oxidized region formed by selectively oxidizing a semiconductor layer having a high Al composition from the sidewall of the mesa. The conductive region is used for current confinement and light confinement.